Molecular mechanisms of RNA m6A-modifying enzymes in cardiovascular diseases

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death globally. Their pathological mechanisms are complex and have not yet been fully clarified. With the development of epigenetics research in recent years, the epigenetic modification N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) has been demonstrated to play an important role in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, m⁶A methyltransferases, demethylases, and recognition proteins can regulate m⁶A methylation levels in the RNA, affecting various biological processes such as RNA splicing, nuclear export, protein translation, and degradation. In this paper, we focus on the biological functions of m⁶A and investigate its role in the biological processes of apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Furthermore, we describe the current findings on the mechanisms involving m⁶A in cardiovascular diseases and discuss potential drugs targeting m⁶A for therapy.